Major cities worldwide are caught in a whirlwind of change that is turning urban spaces into strategic sites where history is being rewritten. Migration, civil society and an array of national and transnational players are transforming assumptions about citizenship in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. From the slums of Mumbai to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, from the skyscrapers of Dubai to urbanizing Palestinian refugee camps, the new cities are altering the answers to one of mankind's oldest questions: where do I belong?

AUTHOR BIO:
Barbara Drieskens is a researcher at the Institute Francais du Proche-Orient (IFPO), Beirut. Franck Mermier is the director of contemporary studies at IFPO. Heiko Wimmen is a programme manager for the regional Middle East office of the Heinrich Boll Foundation, Beirut.